Kauai man gets 10 year sentence for crime spree

April 1, 2013 at 9:12 PM HST - Updated July 25 at 1:32 PM

LIHUE, KAUAI (HawaiiNewsNow) - Judge Kathleen Watanabe on Monday sentenced 35-year-old Pohaku Matsuura of Hanama'ulu, to 10 years in prison for charges stemming from a three-month crime spree back in 2011.

During the period between July and September of 2011, Matsuura broke into an unattended vehicle, a preschool, and rooms at various hotels across the island. He then used the checks and credit cards he stole to make unauthorized purchases at Wal-Mart, Prestige Jewelers and other merchants.

Matsuura was arrested in September of 2011 and remained in custody in lieu of $250,000 bail.

The State argued that prison was the only appropriate sentence for Matsuura due to his lengthy criminal record spanning the better half of his life. As an adult, Matsuura had three felony convictions in addition to numerous misdemeanor convictions, including a one-year prison sentence back in 1996 for Promoting a Dangerous Drug. Then in 1998, Matsuura was sentenced to a five-year term for Theft in the Second Degree.

In addition to today's 10-year prison term, Matsuura was ordered to stay away from the Lihu'e Christian Church, 'Ae Kamali'i Preschool, and the Kaua'i Palms Hotel.

"Our community thrives when we respect one another," stated Prosecuting Attorney Justin Kollar. "When someone steals from a preschool, especially someone with a criminal record like this one, it's a sign that they don't respect the community and cannot be part of it. We thank the KPD investigators for their hard work on this case, and hope Mr. Matsuura learns from the error of his ways."